Meet the Organizers

Organizing a super event takes a super team. We’d like to think we’re kind of like the Avengers, or the A-Team, or something like that. But really, we’re just a bunch of WordPress geeks who are passionate about learning and sharing our knowledge with the community.

Look for us at the event and feel free to come up to any of us with questions. We’re here to help!

Amber Hewitt

Wrangler role: Audio/Visual

Amber Hewitt is the founder of Graphicgoo, a full-service graphics partner specializing in graphic design and front-end web development. As a designer and website consultant, she helps businesses navigate and break through the clutter by telling their unique stories through the lens of their own brand and brand goals.

Amber has a BFA in Graphic Design from ArtCenter College of Design and since graduating has gained 15 years of experience in an ever changing industry. In that time, her career has given her the opportunity to truly develop a passion for brand development, UI/UX design, typography, and WordPress.

Favorite “comic con” character or story: Wonder Woman (the Lynda Carter version)
Amy Hall

Wrangler role: Budget & Social Media

I’m an email marketing strategist and Mailchimp expert. I help people get more leads using lead funnels and email marketing. I founded the Carlsbad WordPress Meetup. I’ve used WordPress since 2008 and used it professionally since 2009.

Favorite comic/con character or story: Promethea
Anchalee Gaffney

Wrangler role: Food & Beverage
Austin Verburg

Wrangler role: Afterparty
Burak Dogan

Wrangler role: Ticketing & Speakers Supporter

Burak is the owner of Creahive, and he is focused on bringing technology and marketing together. Before jumping into the marketing world and moving to San Diego, he was working as a product design engineer for multinational companies. So far, he has been using WordPress for more than 10 years, to develop websites and web apps.

Favorite comic/con character or story: Not a comic fan, but who doesn’t like those flying cool guys!?
Chance Strickland

Wrangler role: Sunday Programming

Chance is a frontend engineer at React Training working full-time on the team’s open source software (primarily Reach UI). Prior to that he was a freelance developer building custom WordPress plugins, themes, and headless WordPress sites for clients. He got his start with WordPress as a project manager and designer working in the version 2.0 days, and in 2019 he added WordCamp US Speaker to his resume.

When he isn’t slinging code, Chance enjoys running, traveling, bouldering, playing drums, and walking his dog. He probably has too many hobbies.

Favorite comic/con character or story: George Clooney’s Batman (the one with the nipples)
Christina Hills

Wrangler role: Speaker Wrangler

Christina Hills, the creator of the Website Creation Workshop, has been passionately teaching WordPress non-techie small business owners, authors, experts, coaches and consultants. She puts the fun into teaching technology and empowers business owners to be in full control of their marketing and online presence. She has been running her online WordPress training program to an international audience for the past 13 years, and is often seen at events as an expert speaker teaching on a variety of topics such as email marketing, membership sites, and marketing, all with a focus on WordPress. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Christina Hills worked as a digital artist for the network promotions division of NBC-TV, and then as a senior technical director in the Feature Film Division at George Lucas’s Industrial Light & Magic with film credits for Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and ET the re-release.

Favorite comic/con character or story: Wonder Woman!
Daniella Knelman

Wrangler role: Lead Organizer & After Party Planner

Daniella is relatively new to the WordPress community. After working in Higher Education for over 10 years, she left her job at a local university last year to join her husband, Evan, in running his web design business. Together they now run Minimal Chaos Web Design and Communication and specialize in helping small businesses and non-profit organizations reach their goals through clear and effective web design and communication. When she’s not minimizing chaos for her clients you can find Daniella attempting to manage the chaos created by her two young boys, ages 2 and 5, or escaping the chaos by getting out for a long run through one of San Diego’s scenic neighborhoods.

Favorite comic/con character or story: While not much of a comic fan, I’ve realized recently that I’m kind of a sucker for Star Wars.
Evan Scheingross

Wrangler role: Lead Organizer

Evan is a native San Diegan who is technically living the dream. He has known since high school that he wanted to build websites, and has somehow managed to pull it off for the entirety of his professional career. Today he and his wife, Daniella, run Minimal Chaos, where they help local businesses and non-profits establish a successful online presence.

Evan has been working with the web for over 20 years, and using WordPress since 2007. He loves tacos, playing music, going to Padres games, and collecting records.

Favorite comic/con character or story: Evan is a lifelong Transformers fan. His favorite characters are the Dinobots, because what’s cooler than a dinosaur and a robot in one?!
Kim Blake

Wrangler role: Speaker/Sponsor Dinner and Print Collateral

Kim is the owner and lead developer of Alpha Webworks where she creates powerful responsive websites with clean and simple designs for small and midsize businesses and nonprofits. She’s been building websites in WordPress for 10 years and enjoys learning about the latest web trends and techniques. Kim was an organizer for WCSD 2016, 2017, 2018 and is excited to be part of the team again for 2020.

Away from the computer, you’ll find Kim exploring new territory in the wilderness or attending a good play. “Life is a cabaret, old chum.”
Mike Quill

Wrangler role: Captain Code of Conduct

Mike is the CTO and co-founder of AppSelekt, a boutique SaaS consultancy based in Dublin, Ireland. He focuses on Salesforce but loves any opportunities to explore the growing intersection between it and WordPress. Before moving to San Diego, he worked for a non-profit Special Education school in Washington DC building online apps to streamline the massive documentation requirements, as well as heading up marketing for the fundraising department.

In 2015 he flew from DC to his first WordCamp in San Diego, partly out of professional curiosity but mainly to use expiring airline miles. He loved the San Diego lifestyle so much he timed his relocation back here to coincide with WordCamp 2016.

To get away from the computer he likes to travel with his camera taking photos under a long running theme of “Architectural Details”.

Favorite comic/con character or story: Wookies!
Misha Trombley

Wrangler role: Volunteer Wrangler Support

Misha is a senior developer at Visceral, a San Diego based design agency that partners with organizations focused on social good. She’s been working with WordPress for 6 years and is focused on architecting and building custom experiences. This year is the first year she’s helped organize a WordCamp and is excited to contribute to the San Diego WordPress community! As a San Diego native, there’s a special place in my heart saved for hole-in-the-wall taco shops, craft beer, and beautiful trail runs.

Favorite comic/con character or story: Wonder Woman
Shelley Parker

Wrangler role: Ticketing
Taylor Elizabeth-Rose Waldon

Wrangler role: Sponsor Wrangler & Content Writer

Taylor is the Content Writer for GiveWP, a WordCamp Speaker, WordCamp San Diego Organizer, and Content Writing Course Creator. She’s a writer at heart and a dog-mom to a German Shepherd (Legedu) and Mini Blue Heeler (Pepper).

Favorite comic/con character or story: Doctor Who
Tom Ford

Wrangler role: Volunteer Wrangler

Tom Ford (of WPCommunity.com) has been involved with WordPress since 2007 (Version 1.5 Strayhorn), serving many different roles professionally over 14 years, including Agency Account Manager, Writer for 2 Large Plugin Developers, Freelance Developer, Senior Developer (of Social SaaS Platform), Agency Project Manager and presently back to Freelance Development. He’s also participated in leading Contributor Day at WordCamp US for the Documentation Team as well as light contributions across the #docs, #meta and #marketing team. As a hobby, Tom dabbles in armchair Virtual Reality Development as well as 3D 180VR/2D 360 photography and video. You’ll consistently find Tom trying to get other people involved in the Open Source Teams at WordPress.org!

Favorite comic/con character or story: Superman (Tom owns and has worn an authentic Superman cape and costume)